


Autumn Changes

by juniperallura



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fluff, Hance - Freeform, High School AU, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, young hance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-20
Updated: 2017-09-20
Packaged: 2019-01-01 03:10:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12147366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juniperallura/pseuds/juniperallura
Summary: For anon prompt "hunk and lance as little friends in like kindergarten who realize they have feelings as teenagers and there's some pining drama but ultimately everything turns out hunky dory and maybe pidge and keith are there," plus some Fall Vibes





	Autumn Changes

“Here we go-”

Lance’s hand, fumbling blindly around the long-neglected top shelf of his closet, finally landed on what he thought were his rain boots. He frowned as he pulled it out; the box was too light, too small, its edges well worn. A thick coat of dust was chalky beneath his fingers- a quick puff sent motes flying into the air, and he could make out the childish scrawl on the lid:  _Lance & Hunk’s Leaf Collection- Don’t Touch!!_

“-Lance! Look at this one!”

A huge leaf, yellow with veins of brilliant red, was thrust into his face. Then his friend’s grin peeked out from behind it. “Can we keep it?” Hunk asked.

Lance nodded and held out their box, already half full. He scanned the ground, careful only to crunch the pine cones underfoot and not ruin any potential botanical finds. One caught his eye- a faded green with some rounded edges and brown spots. “This one looks like my abuelo,” he said, showing Hunk the bulbous-nosed profile in the leaf.

Hunk squinted, leaning in toward Lance’s hand. “Where?”

“Right there!” Lance waved it in Hunk’s face. Hunk frowned. “You’re looking at it wrong, see?” He pivoted to bump Hunk’s shoulder, their heads leaning into one another as they surveyed the leaf from Lance’s point of view.

“O-oh, now I see it,” Hunk laughed, “Your grandpa is ugly!”

Lance scoffed, putting the leaf gently into the box. He tried to push his friend over, but as always Hunk was steady as rock. “That’s mean! My mom says you can’t be mean about dead people!” Hunk still wouldn’t budge, so Lance settled for pulling his hood over his eyes and blowing a raspberry.

“I’m sorry.” Hunk pushed the fabric off his forehead with a smile. “You can be mean about my grandpa if you want- he’s still alive, though.”

“No, it’s okay,” Lance turned away, hiding a mischievous smile over his shoulder, “I’ll just do… _this!_ ” He reached down, grabbing a fistful of leaves and tossing them into Hunk’s face.

“ _Hey_ ,” Hunk cried as Lance jogged away with a gleeful cackle, “No fair!” With a grin he scooped up as much colorful foliage as he could and ran after his friend, launching it at Lance’s back.

A few minutes later found the two boys laying shoulder to shoulder on the ground, gasping for breath between giggles. Leaves poked out from the hoods and sleeves of their jackets, evidence of their little war. Lance gazed up at the trees. “I can’t wait to show Miss Penny our collection.” 

“Me too. We’re gonna have the best show and tell in the class.” Hunk and Lance looked at each other with mirrored grins. 

A voice echoed from behind them, “Tsuyoshi! Time to go!”

Hunk clamored up from the leaf pile. “My mom’s calling. Can you keep it ‘til show and tell?”

Lance stuck out his lip and knit his brows, throwing a stiff salute against his forehead. “I’ll guard it with my life!”

Hunk nodded, “Good.” He clasped Lance’s hand, helping him up, and then mimicked his salute. “See you tomorrow!” 

Lance blinked. He glanced out his bedroom window, where branches of deep orange reached toward a gray sky. The memory was an old one, back maybe more than a decade ago, but it was warm like it had only happened yesterday. Lance felt a twinge, deep in his chest. He and Hunk had always been like that- comfortable and warm and honest. They told each other everything, they put each other at ease. It had always been that way, from kindergarten to their junior year.

At least, until a couple weeks ago. Lance’s stomach did a flip just at the thought. 

“ _Augh_ ,” he groaned, putting aside the box to flop back onto his bed. “Why do I have to ruin everything?”

It was all because of that stupid hayride. Pidge was the only smart one, protesting that she hated farms and that the outdoors were stupid and couldn’t they just stay home and watch Halloweentown? But of course the day fell during one of Keith’s random festive streaks, and Lance sure wasn’t going to stand in the way of a Hunk determined to get fresh apples for his apple upside-down cake (a seasonal tradition.)

So there Lance was, breaking out his freshly obtained driver’s license to putter out to Monte’s Farms in his mom’s old Saturn. It was a gorgeous day; the sky was bright, the changing leaves were out in full force, and the air had a crispness to it that only October could bring on its winds. 

Everyone was in high spirits as they climbed into the wooden wagon, Pidge and Keith taking the bale across from Hunk and Lance. It had the makings of a great adventure for the ol’ gang- until a breeze stirred up the hay and dust from the floor. Immediately, Pidge began to sneeze. One, then another. Then she coughed. Then three sneezes in a row. Then her eyes starting getting red. Another double sneeze-

“Pidge, maybe you shouldn’t be on this thing,” Lance raised a brow, fishing into his parka pocket for a tissue, “You’ve got mad allergies.”

“I’m-  _achoo!_ Fine,” she insisted, while gratefully accepting the tissue. “It’s just a little-  _sniff-_ dust. The ride’s only, what, five minutes? I’ll be fine.”

Hunk bit his lip. “Well, actually- it’s twenty.”

“Holy shit, I’m gonna die-” Pidge sneeze again. 

The other three exchanged glances. “Yeah, this might not have been the best idea for you,” Keith said, patting her on the shoulder, “Why don’t the two of us go check out the bakery instead? Maybe get some apple cider or something. They probably also have, I don’t know, chickens we can pet or whatever. And we’ll meet you two when you’re done getting apples.” He nodded at Hunk and Lance.

Everyone agreed and Pidge shuffled off with Keith, Hunk calling apologies between her sneezes. 

Hunk sighed, giving Lance a smile. “Well, I guess it’s just you and me.”

Lance smiled back, shoving his hands into his pockets. He knew it was probably better that Pidge got off the wagon, but for some reason he started feeling nervous the second she and Keith left. “Yeah, they’re missing out, this is gonna be the apple picking adventure of a lifetime.”

Hunk laughed, a clear, warm sound. “Maybe we’ll get pulled into an X-Files episode and get abducted by aliens from an orchard circle or something. They’ll be so pissed that they missed it, and we’ll be living it up in space!” He looked at Lance, topaz eyes crinkling with his smile. Then he frowned, thick brows knitting as he pulled a thoughtful expression. “But then I guess we’d all miss my upside-down cake, so maybe never mind.”

Lance nodded, but an actual answer didn’t make it to his mouth. He didn’t even notice Hunk’s words trailing off. Suddenly, all he could focus on was the lock of dark hair that had fallen over Hunk’s forehead, tickled by the breeze. And how Hunk’s lashes, short and thick, framed the gentle slope of his eyes. And had he been taking Lance’s fashion advice? Lance had always told him that that eggplant sweater picked up nice undertones in his skin, which even in the cool weather looked warmed by the sunshine. And he was wearing that scarf, the big plaid one that made Lance want to curl up next to him and lay his head on Hunk’s chest-

A cold gust jolted Lance back into himself. He had started drifting off like that recently— but somehow it only happened with Hunk. Lance blinked, a sudden consciousness of the warmth of Hunk’s knee against his making him shiver.

Hunk was looking at him, something soft, maybe, in his eyes. “Are you cold? I told you to wear an actual coat.” Before Lance could answer Hunk unwrapped his scarf and reached to drape it over the back of Lance’s neck.

“I know, I know, you’re always right,” Lance mumbled with a grateful smile. He arranged the fabric in loose loops around his neck, a strange quickness coming into his pulse as the scent of Hunk’s cologne wafted from so close around him. He forced himself not to think about it. “I should’ve brought gloves, too.” 

“Here-” Hunk laid his hand over Lance’s, which rested between them on the wooden bench. Not quite holding it, but Lance felt enveloped by the warmth of his touch. 

Lance looked away, letting his gaze fixate on the fields that rolled past them. He sat still, as still as he could on the rumbling wagon, as if the moment would shatter if he moved his hand. After a moment he glanced at Hunk- he was looking away, too. Lance swore his cheeks were flushed a deeper brown. Was he—?  Lance stopped himself, not daring to think any further, and tried not to smile as he buried his chin in Hunk’s scarf.

They sat in silence for awhile. Hunk’s hand still rested over Lance’s. Somehow they had gotten closer, their shoulders brushing whenever the wagon hit a bump. Lance let out a contented sigh. 

Hunk looked at him. “Hm?” he hummed.

“Just excited for apples. And aliens.”

“I know you’re more of a summer guy,” Hunk tilted his head, “But thanks for coming along. Fall’s my favorite season, I like to make it special, y’know?”

Lance flashed a smile, “Of course, man. You know that apple upside-down cake is the only thing that keeps me going, wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Hunk didn’t answer, only gave him a searching kind of look as the corner of his mouth pulled upward. Lance found himself staring at Hunk’s lips, not quite able to hold his gaze. He bit the inside of his cheek. He could still feel the warmth radiating from Hunk, and it set his heart pounding. Something possessed him to lean a little closer, pressing into Hunk’s sturdy arm. He tilted his head, his own lips parting, just slightly.

“Oh, ah-” Hunk cleared his throat, his head whipping to look over his other shoulder, “Looks like we’re here.”

Lance felt like he’d been doused with cold water. Hunk snatched his hand away as the wagon jolted to a stop. Lance sat frozen for a second while everyone else shuffled off the hayride.

Did he just try and _kiss_ … _Hunk?_

It wasn’t until late that night, when Lance was staring wide-eyed into the darkness of his ceiling, that he could admit that yes, yes he had. 

Since then, things hadn’t been the same. Neither of them acknowledged it to the other, and Lance almost wondered if Hunk had even noticed; but it was clear that something had changed. All the normal stuff- talking in the hall, eating lunch, walking home from school- suddenly felt stiff, reserved. Pidge and Keith didn’t seem to notice anything, and Lance decided not to bring it up. How could he even explain what happened? It was like Lance had been hit by a lightning bolt months ago, maybe even years ago, and was only realizing it now.

Lance’s gaze flickered to the old box at the corner of his bed. Why did he have to complicate things? With  _Hunk_ , of all people. He heaved another sigh.

“Hey-” 

Lance nearly jumped out of his skin when a rasping knock and a familiar voice came from across the room. Hunk was standing in the doorway, pushing back wet hair from his forehead and unzipping a bright yellow rain jacket. “Your mom said you were up here-”

Hunk never  _knocked_. They hadn’t even rang each other’s doorbells since second grade. Usually he’d be flopped on Lance’s bed by now, drumming on his stomach and chattering about some machine he was tinkering with. Lance swallowed. “Hey, yeah, come in.” He gestured to the shoe box, “I was just looking at this, found it in my closet earlier.”

Hunk sat on the edge of the mattress, a foot of space between his thigh and Lance’s. When he saw the box his face lit up and he grabbed it eagerly. “Our leaf collection! Oh man, I remember this— here’s the one that looked like your grandpa!” He picked up the leaf, now faded and brittle, and spun it gently by the stem.

Lance snorted. “My mom must’ve been telling me too many stories about people seeing Jesus in their toast, cause that does  _not_ look like Abuelo.”

“I think we were just desperate for a good show and tell. Remember when Kelsey Caldwell brought in her dad’s  _Oscar_? What a show off.”

“Oh yeah, she still won’t shut up about it,” Lance rolled his eyes, “It was for best  _dance direction_ , who cares? My homecoming Snapchat story could’ve won that Oscar.” Hunk caught his eye and they burst into laughter- easily, like before.

But then they fell into silence. The nervous feeling began to churn in Lance’s stomach again as he searched for something to say. He was about to make some lame comment about the rain, but Hunk suddenly sucked in a breath and said, “Lance, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”

Lance blinked. A shiver ran down his spine but a wave of heat flooded his face. The churning in his gut turned to cold dread. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, Hunk, me too.” 

Hunk had pulled another leaf out of the box, turning it over in his hand and not meeting Lance’s eyes. “About the other day, at the farm, well, I wanted to apologize-”

“Hey, you don’t need to apologize-” Lance cut in, his cheeks burning, “ _I’m_ sorry. I don’t really know what happened, lately I’ve just been…confused, I dunno.”

Hunk frowned, almost crushing the leaf in his palm. “I- I know it was weird,  _so_ weird, and I get if I kinda ruined things, but- I just really don’t want to lose our friendship, y’know.” He smiled dryly at the shoe box.  _Lance & Hunk’s Leaf Collection_. “So, if there’s any way I can make things normal again, or if you just need space, or if you just don’t want to hang out anymore-”

“Wait, Hunk-” Lance shook his head, his hand reaching to rest in the space between them, “What happened, it’s not on you.  _I_ made things weird, but I don’t wanna lose our friendship, either. You- you mean the world to me.” He looked down at his lap, then forced himself to look over at Hunk. “I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to kiss you.”

An expression came into Hunk’s face like he’d been struck by lightning. He was silent for a long beat, but when he spoke his words came tumbling out, “Wait, wait, wait. I-I don’t understand.  _You_ tried to kiss  _me?_ But that doesn’t make any sense because-” He bit his lip, slowing down and wringing his hands over his stomach. “’Cause, uh, I thought  _I_ was trying to kiss  _you_ …”

The world seemed to pull very, very far away and then come rushing back all at once. Lance’s thoughts were just radio static. All he managed was a dumb, “ _Oh_.”

“I just, I dunno, realized that I kind of- like you. In, like, a kissing you way.” Hunk’s face was getting redder by the second. “But, I guess, if you were trying to kiss me too, then maybe I didn’t ruin everything, hopefully? And maybe this makes it less confusing, instead of more? And Lance please stop staring at me and say something-”

A smile spread over Lance’s face as something warm bloomed in his chest. He leaned forward, closing the space that sat empty between them, and pressed his lips gently against Hunk’s. He heard a little hum of surprise from Hunk’s chest, but then a warm hand reached out to cup the side of his face and Hunk kissed him properly. It was warm, honest, comfortable. As if a piece of the puzzle they hadn’t even known was missing had finally fallen into place.

Lance pulled away, just barely. Hunk smelled like the rain and the spice of cologne. “I like you too,” he whispered. It felt good to say. 

Hunk laid his hand over Lance’s, and this time they entwined their fingers, squeezing tightly as their lips met again.


End file.
